Bead covering



March 27, 1928. 1,664,196 I c. H. QESAUTELS BEAD COVERING Fi ld June 6 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet l W W. ///7/ W W W/7W INVENTOR M ATTORN March 27, 1928. 1,664,196

C. H. DESAUTELS BEAD COVERING Filed June 6, 1923' 4 Sheets-Shet 2 INVENTOR ATTORN Patented Mar. 27, 1928..

CHARLEs H. nRsAUTRLs, or SPRINGFIELD, IvI Ass CRUsETTs, AssIenoR To THE FISK RUBBER COMPANY, or CHIGOPEE FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION or MASSACHUSETTS.

BEAD COVERING.

Application filed June 6,

This invention relates to improvements in methods and apparatus for covering articles such as tire bead fillers with a matorial such as rubberized fabric. It is particularly directed to the wrapping of clincher bead fillers with a covering of fabric adapted to project beyond the filler and form a so-called suspension which may lie between the carcass plies of the built-up tire casing.

It has for its object the provision of a method and apparatus which will shape the fabric smoothly, tightly, and evenly about the bead filler, which is particularly adapted for handling beads in endless form, and which will in a single and simple operation completely shape a single piece of fabric to the desired form. v

The invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is an elevation from the right in Fig. 2; U

Fig. 4c is a section on line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail rear elevation;

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the parts in a different operative position;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view similar Fig. 2 but on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a section on line 9 9 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is, a section on line '101() of Fig. 7;

Fig. 11 is a section on line 11-11 of Fig. 7

Fig. 12 is a section on line '12-12 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 13 is a section on line 13 13 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 14 is a section on line 1l14 of Fig. 7 r

Fig 15 is section on line 15-45 of Fig. l,

Fig. 16 is a section on line 1616 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 17 is a section on line 1717 of Fig. 7 r

Fig; 18 is a section on line 1818 of Fig. 7; 1 Fig. 19 is a section on line 1919 of Fig. 7

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary section of a bead 1923. Serial No. 643,610.*

of a finished tire, showing the covered bead in place; Fig.21 is a perspective view similar in extent to Fig. 7 showing the passage of the bead and covering material through the apparatus; and

Fig. 22 (Sheet 2) is a section corresponding to Fig. 19' but showing a slightly diffcrent form of bead.

In some forms of clincher tirecasings the bead or bead filler a (Fig. 20) is covered with a strip of fabric 1), the sides of which extend 'at 0 between the plies of the tire carcass. It is desirable that this covering material be pressed smoothly and firmly into contact with the bead atall points, andwith the edges of the fabric accurately offset the desired amount from each other and from the bead. The present invention is particularly intended td be employed in'the placing of this so-called flipper-strip .or suspension around clincher heads; but

- may find utility in other connections, as

applying a fabric covering without the eX- tension 0. The method of treating the bead and fabric which forms part of the invention can best be described in connection with the machine designed for carrying it out. V

The mechanism is supported on a table frame 25 upon which are fixed journal boxes 26 for a series of three shafts 27, 28, and 29, mounted substantially in line with each other horizontally, butpreferably with shaft 29 disposed slightly lowerthan and out of line with the other two. This makes easier the construction of the driving mechanism for the shafts, and also serves an additional purpose which will appear below. Suitable sprockets areprovided on the shafts over which pass a chain 80, by means of which all the shafts are} simultaneously driven.

One of the shafts, 28 as shown, has a second sprocket, over which runs a chain 31 passing over a sprocket on the shaft of a motor By this means the three shafts may receive simultaneous power rotation as desired, suitable clutch or switch devices being provided to place the control of the rotae tion underthe control of the operator. As a'simple electrical switch will suflice' it has not been illustrated in order not to confuse the showing of the other features of construction.

Pivoted at 83 between standards indicated at 84 are arms 35, 86, and 37, extending over shafts 27, 28, and 29 and carrying freely journaled at their ends rolls 38, 39, and 40, adapted for cooperation in a manner to be described with rolls 41, 42, and 43, fixed to the ends of the three shafts mentioned. Springs 44, mounted in caps on a standard 46, constantly press the rolls of the upper set individually against the corresponding lower roll with ayielding pressure. It will be noticed that roll 40 is disposed to one side of its lower roll, for a purpose which will appear.

. The arms 85, 86, and 37 extend rearwardly or away from their roll ends, and are con- -nected by suitable operating means so that they may be depressed, thereby raising the rolls to free the work held between the upper and lower sets. In the case shown a link 47 is attached to the rear end of the center arm 36, and is connected at its lower end with a treadle 48 pivoted at 49 to the frame. By depressing the treadle the operator raises the rolls to permit of the insertion or removal of work from between the upper and lower sets of rolls. The middle arm has sidewardly extending projections 50 which overlie the two side arms and cause them to partake of the downward movement of the rearward extension of the middle arm. In order to permit each of the three arms to have a slight individual movement, assisting principally in permitting the passage through the rolls of a fabric splice or other enlargement of the work, a lost motion connection is provided between the middle and side arms, illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. In Fig. 5 the arms are shown in their normal or operative position. It will be seen that a slight space 51 is provided between the side extensions 50 and the rear ends of arms 35 and 37. permits the rear end of the arm 36 to be depressed independently as its forward end is raised by the passage of a splice. Arms 85 and 37 of course are free to move downwardly at their rear, ends without any interference from the end of arm 36 or the side extensions 50.

The operation of the device may now be described, the remaining mechanical features and elements being considered in the order of their operation upon the head to be covered. The machine has been designed with a particular intention of covering beads which have previously had their ends joined so as to form rings or hoops of theproper dimensions for incorporation into the tire. Beads in long lengths can be covered also if desired, and later formed into rings, but it is believed that more satisfactory results as to the strength of the splice will generally be obtained if the beads are first made endless.

The covering fabric 1) for the beads is suphandle 57 or other rotating means.

This I plied on a roll 52 mounted at one end of the frame 25 in brackets 53. This fabric is generally light canvas or sheeting covered on one or both sides with rubber and out on the bias so as to be extensible longitudinally with the bead of the clincher tire. In order to prevent undesired adhesion between adjacent turns of fabric in the roll it is wound between turns of a lining material d such as sheeting. This lining material passes over a roller 54 and is rewound on a spool 55 mounted in a bracket 56 and provided with a The covering material may be supplied in long lengths and severed as it is applied to the tance as shown in Fig. 1 in order to give easy access to the covering material.

In order to guide the covering material accurately to the covering mechanism, overhanging side guides 58 (Figs. 1 and 8) are provided having guiding shoulders 59 spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the width of the fabric. I have found it de sirable to reduce as much as possible the friction on the fabric as it enters the folding mechanism, and to this end provide rollers 60, journaled at 61 in side members 58, and arranged to underlie the guides. The guide may be made to slide longitudinally in the frame if desired so as to afford space for the severing of the covering material at a point near its contact with the bead, but the fixed constri'lction shown is satisfactory where the covering material is supplied in strips cut to length.

The bead filler a is preferably guided into the folding mechanism from a point to one side of the line of travel of the fabric, as this permits the use of circular beads. The first guide which receives the bead is composed of two rollers 62 set in V formation on pins 63 supported by a bracket 64 (Figs. 1 and 12). plane is oblique to the line of travel of the fabric, and also is tilted slightly outwardly from the vertical so that they will receive in a normal manner, between them, a bead which is supplied from below and one side of the fabric. Adjacent the entrance to the folding mechanism is a second V-shaped The rollers areset so that their rolls 38 and 41, so that accurate registry of the bead and fabric will be assured. Roll 41 has a shallow notch 68 adapted to receive the apex of the bead filler (Fig. 9), and has a flat cylindrical surface 69 supporting the fabric strip. Upper roll 38 is rounded on its periphery to conform to the shape of the concave side of the bead. In the folding of fabric around a bead to form a suspension or flipper it is of particular importance to have accurate registry between the bead and fabric, for the reason that the fabric should extend beyond the bead filler between the plies of the tire carcass a uniform and definite amount, and the stepping off of the two edges of the covering fabric (see Fig. 20) should likewise be even. This condition can only arise if-the bead and fabric are accurately registered at the inception of the covering operation, for inaccuracies then cannot be corrected at a later stage. Rolls 38 and 41 serve as an effective insurance that accurate register of the bead and fabric is initially obtained, by pressing the fabric firmlyinto place in a small area around thev apex of the bead. By restricting the initial application of fabric toa small area the alignment is improved and errors due to the fabric contacting first with the wrong part of the bead avoided.

a As the bead and fabric pass from this pair ,of rolls to the next pair the fabric is acted upon by devices adapted to insure an eventurning during the subsequent shaping around the concave base of the filler. I have found that the side of the fabric which is not to be folded over the base requires little attention, but that care must be taken with the side indicated by 70 in order to prevent wrinkles and creases. As this side leaves the first pair of rolls it is picked up by a small roller 71 (Fig- 10), carried by a pin 72 secured to a bar 73 and preferably arrangedto contact with the apex of the filler, the bar being mounted on the top of table 25. Following this the fabric contacts with one or more similar rollers 74: arranged at progressively steeper angles so as to carry a the fabric gradually to the position of Fig.

11. Here it contacts with a roller 75 also mounted on'bar 73 and slanted upwardly in the direction of travel and away from the side of the sheet, as shown, so as to lie more nearly at right angles to the direction of travel of the constantly turning side portion of the advancing fabric. The angular mounting of this roller is a safeguard acting to )revent any mistravel of the sheet edge an secure a neat. and accurate folding.

From this last-named roller the material passes directly into the bite of rolls 39 and 42. The lower of these is shaped to con the fabric and bead will be thoroughly joined. If desired a guide piece 77 (Fig. 13

may be arranged to underlie the edge 7 O and prevent any mistravel during the passage of the head between these rolls.

As soon as the partially covered bead leaves the bite of rolls 39 and 42 the side 70 of the fabric comes into contact with a roll 7 8, the action of which is illustrated in Fig. 14. Successive rolls of the same series, numbered from 79 to 82, appear in Figs. 15 to 18; It will be noted that all of these rolls (with the exception of roll 78 which has only a preliminary guiding function) bear against the corner 83 of the bead filler and gradually and progressively turn the fabric over the concave base of the bead. This arrangement One important aspect of the invention may now be considered which is especially useful in cases where a strip of bias cut fabric is being wrapped around a'bead having a concave base. Particularly in cases where the beads are made endless before covering with fabric there has been experienced much difficulty in making the suspensionfabric layevenly and tightly around the bead. I have found that by keeping the bead substantially straight while the fabric is folded around the apex and adjacent sides of the bead and until, that portion of the fabric whichis to coverthe concave base is turned so as to overlie the base, and then curving the bead,

the fabric will be drawn to the head shape,

and can be pressed easily into final position. As will be apparent from the drawings the first two pairs of pressing rolls are in line, and the rolls of each pair vertically arranged, while rolls 40 and 43 are arranged with the former to one side of the latter. In Figs. 7 and 21 the efiect of this arrangement in bending the bead is clearly shown.

Although the maximum bending of the bead 'does not occur until it reaches the bite of rolls 40 and 43,, the drawing tendency on the fabric ofthis flexing of the bead causes the overlying edge 70 of the fabric to gradually assume the curved shape of thebead I base as it passes by the series of guiding and turning rollers shown in Figs. 14 to 18. By the time the fabric reaches roll-f0 it has beother designs.

come curved so that only a slight pressure is necessary in order to cause it to conform and adhere to the convex base of the head.

The shape of roll 43 is much like that of roll 42, except that it has a ledge 86 at one side of thebead receiving cavity 87 slightly higher than the corner 88 of the bead. Roll 40 is like the corresponding roll 39, but is curved at 89 and 90 to give firm contact with the entire upper surface of the bead. At one side of roll 40 is a cylindrical extension .91, made separately rotatable in thecase of easily distorted fabrics, which presses on the projecting fabric portions 70, 76, and causes. the two layers to adhere firmly together. Ledge 86 is located higher than the corner of the bead since I have found that with the bend in the fabric made at this point no difliculty is experienced when the extension is later straightened out in line with the side of the bead as shown in Fig. 20, while if the bend were made close to the bead corner the rigidity at this point would cause a kink in the fabric when straightened.

The form of the bead receiving roll cavities may be varied, and the arrangement of the other parts changed to accommodate beads of Thus in Fig. 22 is illustrated a bead having one rounded side 92, the roll being shaped accordingly. As a preferable condition of operation of the mechanism described roll 43 is driven at a very slightly higher speedthan the two preceding rolls 41 and 42, so that the bead and fabric at this point are kept taut. This difference in speed is slight, and can be most easily attained by a slight increase in the diameter of roll 43 as compared with roll 42.

The manner of operating the device will in the main be apparent'from what hasbeen said. The upper rolls of the three sets are raised by depressing treadle 48, and the bead placed in position. The fabric is unwound from spool 52 and started through the bite of rolls 88 and 41. The motor is then started, or the clutchv mechanism actuated, and the wrapping of the bead will be completed in a single passage through the machine.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 7 i

1. A method of covering with a strip of bias fabric a bead substantially triangular in form with a concave base portion, which comprises folding the fabric strip around the apex and adjacent side of the bead with the side of the fabric extending over the con cave base of the bead, the bead being kept substantially straight during these opera tions, and flexing the bead to draw the fabric into the concave portion of the bead.

2. A method of covering with a strip of bias fabric a substantially triangular bead with a concave base portion, which comprises folding and pressing thefabric strip around the apex and one adjacent side of the bead with the side of the fabric extending loosely over the concave base of the bead, the bead being kept substantially straight longitudinally, flexing the bead to draw the fabric. into the concave side of the bead, and pressing the fabric firmly into the concave portion of the bead.

3. A method of covering with a suspension strip of bias fabric a substantially triangular bead with a concave base portion, which comprises pressing the strip of fabric against the apex of the bead, folding and pressing the side portions of the fabric against the sides of the bead with one side portion extending loosely over the concave base portion of the head, the bead being kept substantially straight longitudinally, flexing the head to draw the fabric into the concave portion of the bead, pressing the fabric into the concave portion of thebead, and pressing together the side portions of thefabric extending together beyond the bead.

4. A method of covering a substantially triangular head which comprises folding a strip of fabric from'the apex over one side of the bead while the bead is kept straight, the fabric overlying the base of the bead, and flexing the bead with the base outward to cause the fabric to conform to'the base of the bead.

5. A bead covering machine comprising a plurality of pairs of rotatable pressing rolls, and intermediate fabric turning guides between successive pairs, said pairs of rolls being so disposed relatively to each other that the bead is first caused to travel in a substantially straight path and is then flexed to draw into shape a portion of the turned fabric.

6. A covering machine for triangular beads comprising a circumfere'ntially notched roll adapted to receive the apex only of the head, a pressure roll coacting' therewith adapted to join to the bead a strip of covering material at the apex only of the bead,

and mechanism for shaping to the bead the fabric so attached.

7 A covering machine for triangular beads comprising a circumferentially notched .roll adapted to receive the apex only of the bead, a pressure roll coacting therewith,

a guide adapted to supply to said rolls in properly aligned relation a strip of covering fabric, a guide adapted to supply a bead to said rolls, and mechanism for shaping to the head the fabric attached to the apex thereof by said rolls.

8. A covering machine for endless triangular beads comprising a circumferentially notched roll adapted to receive the apex only of the bead, a pressure roll. coacting therewith, a guide adapted to supply to said rollsin properly aligned relation a strip of covering material, and guiding devices adapted to receive an endless head from one side of the covering strip, deflect it, and present it with its apex aligned with the notch of the roll.

9. A covering machine for triangular beads comprising a pair of pressure rolls adapted to unite the apex only of a triangular bead with a strip of covering fabric, a series of rollers adapted to turn one side of the fabric up the side of the bead, a second pair of pressure rolls adapted to press the covering fabric against the sides of the bead adjacent the apex, a second series of rollers adapted to contact with one base corner of the bead and set at progressively increasing angles to gradually turn one side of the fabric over the base of the bead, and a third pair of pressure rolls having their line of centers set at an angle to the line of centers of the preceding pair of rolls to cause the bead to be flexed with the base thereof outwardly disposed and adapted to press against the base of the bead the fabric previously turned thereover and to unite'the edge of this fabric with the other side portion of the fabric.

10. A covering machine for triangular beads comprising a pair of pressure rolls adapted tovunite the apex only of a triangular bead with a strip of covering fabric, a series of rollers adapted to turn one side of the fabric up the side of the bead, a second pair of pressure rolls adapted to press the wardly disposed and adapted to press against the base of the bead the fabric previously turned thereover. v

11. A covering machine for triangular heads comprising a pair of pressure rolls adapted to unite the apex only of a triangular bead with a strip of covering fabric, a series of rollers adapted to turnone side of the fabric up the side o-fthe bead, a second pair of pressure rolls adapted to press the covering fabric against the sides of the bead adjacent the apex, a second series of rollers third pair rotating at a slightly higher speed.

than the other.

12. A covering machine for triangular beads comprising a pair of pressure rolls adapted to unite the apex only of a triangular bead with a strip of covering fabric, a series of rollers adapted to turn one side of the fabric up the side of the bead, the last roller of the series being set at an angle extending outwardly and upwardly with respect to the line of travel of the bead, a second pair of pressure rolls adapted to press the covering fabric against the sides of the bead adjacent the apex, asecond series of rollers adapted to contact with one base the bead to be flexed with the base thereof outwardly disposed and adapted to press against the base of the bead the fabric previously turned thereover.

CHARLES H. DESAUTELS. 

